Knit mittens



(NOM0del.)-

- 0. E. WAKEMAN.

Knit Mitten, 8w

No."243,01'7. 'P'atentedju ne14,1881.

N. PETERS. Phnmuma m har. Washin tonv n. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. WAKEMAN, OF PONTIAC, MICHIGAN.

KNIT MITTENS, 80c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,017, dated June 14, 1881. Application filed November 23, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that I, CHARLES E. WAKEMAN, of Pontiac, in the county of Oakland and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Knit Mittens, 850.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,- and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improved means of finishing the raw edge of a mitten, stocking, or other fulled knit article; and it consists in forming the edge left by the machine into a roll, and, in the process of fullin g, covering this roll, and securing it by means of the toiling-nap.

Heretofore in the manufacture of knit articles, such as mittens and stockings, it has been customary either to crochet the raw edge left by the machine or to bind it in various ways. This necessarily involved expense and delay; but so far as I am aware no better manner has yet been suggested.

The accompanyiugdrawings show, in Figure l, a view of a mitten having a raw edge, as it comes from the knitting-machine. Fig. 2 shows a view of the roll as completed.

In these drawings, A represents the fabric in general, and B the edge, considering the invention as applied to a mitten. As it leaves the machine it is knit solid usually, and the opening for the hand is formed by cutting through a single row of loops, leaving the raw edge shown in Fig. 1. In some cases, however, this edge is fdrmed by dropping the article out of the machine, leaving a row of completed loops on each side of the opening, avoiding the necessity of cutting through. At this point it has always been the custom to finish the mitten by crocheting the wrist or by binding the edge.

Instead of crocheting or binding the edge, I secure it in the fulling process as follows: A string, 1, is threaded through the front and back thicknesses of the article to prevent the edge from rolling too far. The edge is then by hand turned over equally all around in order to start a roll, and in this condition the article is placed in the fulling-niachine, Where, by the interlocking of the fibers, the roll thus partially formed is completed, and covered and secured by the nap, the string being then withdrawn. As thus secured it is impossible to unravel the fabric.

I have shown the use of this process as ap plied to a knit mitten; but obviously stockings and any fulled knit article, where a raw edge is left by the machine, might be treated in the same manner.

In the manufacture of such articles as mittens and stockings, where cheapness is one of the essential points, the advantage of dispensing with the crochetiug and binding processes will be evident.

it is not absolutely essential that the string 1 be used, as the roll might be formed without it. Such string, however, guards against the formation of an uneven edge, and I prefer to use it.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. Amitten, stocking, or other knit article the raw edge of which is formed into a roll and such roll covered and secured by the f ulling-nap in the process of fulling, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a mitten, stocking, or other knit article the raw edge of which is formed into a roll for the purpose described, the string 1, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 7

CHARLES E. WAKEMAN.

Witnesses:

L. W. SEELY, H. B. MoUL'roN. 

